Early Career Profiles:
Recent bachelors-level graduates in the mathematical sciences

Joel Pierce

Name: Joel Pierce

Undergraduate institution: University of Washington

Position: Library Technician and Administrative Assistant

Company/Employer: Pacific Middle School

Industry sector: Education

What he does:

Most days consist of Joel performing maintenance works such as repairing books, creating overdue reports, and taking inventory.

Math on the job:

This position doesn't required Joel to directly utilize his math background, but he constantly uses the organizational and problem solving skills he developed while studying math at UW.

Perks of the job include working closely with students, gaining insight into the public school system, and working with books. In the afternoon, Joel handles registration for Highline School District's middle school Summer Reading Academy.

Joel's background:

Joel received a Bachelor of Science Standard Option in Mathematics from the University of Washington, Spring 2004.

Joel left high school having already completed the calculus sequence and had been exposed to linear algebra and differential equations. This encouraged him to continue studying math, especially when his interest in engineering declined somewhere during his sophomore year. The rigorous logic and simple beauty of math continued to hold his interest through his junior year. By this time, he was becoming more interested in philosophy. He ended up finishing the math degree anyway.

His interest in working at schools in this area led him to apply for several positions in the Highline School District. This ultimately led to the job he now has.